UCT extends financial aid to postgraduate students

The University of Cape Town is extending financial aid to postgraduate students who do not qualify for NSFAS or National Research Fund grants.

Cape Town - The University of Cape Town is extending financial aid to postgraduate students who do not qualify for NSFAS or National Research Fund grants.

Vice-chancellor Mamokgethi Phakeng said a decision to broaden financial aid to disadvantaged students at UCT has been taken by executives.

“Our decision would mean that financial assistance will now, for the first time, be extended to students who have registered for postgraduate diplomas and have made an appeal for their outstanding fees from last year to be cleared.

"This applies to students who are eligible for financial aid and have not been academically excluded, and would not apply to online programmes,” Phakeng said.

Thus UCT has further broadened financial aid to those students who weren't previously assisted, she added.

“For the first time, we extended financial aid to students in financial need studying towards postgraduate honours degrees.

“We have a comprehensive financial assistance programme (GAP funding) that caters for students whose combined household income does not exceed R600 000.”

Phakeng said that as financial assistance was secured and fee debt was also cleared, the students were cleared for registration.

NSFAS spokesperson Kagisho Mamabolo confirmed it was in constant communication with UCT and other institutions to ensure all NSFAS issues were attended to timeously.

Mamabolo said one of the terms of reference for NSFAS administrator Randall Carolissen was to maintain a close and productive working relationship between NSFAS, universities and TVET colleges.